Trapped
by kleinehexe36
Summary: A job has gone bad, leaving an injured Eliot locked up with Parker. This story starts as h/c but quickly moves on to drama with lots of leverage-style action in it. Eventually involves the whole team. Complete!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own leverage. No copyright infringement intended. Just showing my appreciation for the show :-)

ooo

"Eliot."

The voice seemed to come from far away and barely penetrated the thick darkness that engulfed him. He had the feeling that someone had been talking to him for quite awhile now, calling his name and attempting to get a response, while he had been drifting in a place somewhere between waking and unconsciousness. Sluggishly, he tried to open his eyes and found that he couldn't. Damn it. The blackness around him shifted and started to pull him under again.

"Eliot, come on. You need to wake up."

The voice was louder this time and Eliot thought that it sounded a little impatient. Then there was also a hand gently slapping his cheek. Whoever was talking to him didn't give up easily. He felt his eyes flutter as he fought the heavy pull of sleep and with rising awareness, the pain came back. His ribs hurt fiercely and there was a throbbing pain in his shoulder, but that was nothing compared to the sledge hammer thundering against the inside of his skull. Groaning, he tried to move and make the pain go away.

"That's it. Now look at me."

Parker. It was definitely Parker talking to him, and she had an urgency in her voice that he didn't like. Damn it, what had happened? Slowly, he opened his eyes, blinking against the light. Disoriented for a moment, he carefully turned his head, finding that even that small movement sent sharp jolts of pain through his head. Better to lie still for the moment.

"Eliot?"

Above him, Parker's face swam into focus. He needed a moment to take in her features, blond hair tied up in a bun, a frown on her face. He let his gaze wander past her, noting the naked gray walls, the metal door that was only a few steps away and the light bulb at the ceiling. No windows. This was not good, not good at all.

"What happened?" His voice sounded hoarse and was heavy with exhaustion.

Parker's frown deepened. "You don't remember?"

Eliot simply stared at her, trying to push through the fog that clouded his mind. Parker returned his gaze with crossed arms.

"Talk to me, Eliot."

"I don't know, I..."

Eliot struggled to sit up, giving his best to ignore the driving pain in his head and finally succeeded. He leaned against the concrete wall, waiting for the dizziness to pass. There wasn't a clear memory of the past events, only a blurred set of images, loosely connected to each other. His hand trailed to his forehead and came away bloody. That surely explained his headache.

"How long have I been out?" He rasped.

"Not long, a couple of minutes maybe. Can you remember what happened?"

Shifting uncomfortably under her scrutinizing eyes, Eliot tried to think. He had been in a fight, that much he remembered. Guns, they'd had guns. He distinctly recalled four slumped forms on the ground, the last watchman running towards him – and boy, he'd been good. His booted foot had got him in the ribs, before Eliot had been able to send him to the ground with a solid blow to the neck. Then Parker had joined him in the corridor, the CD they'd been after in her hand. He had turned around, nodding at her.

But what had happened after that? He looked at Parker, the unspoken question in his eyes.

"He got you with the fire extinguisher," she explained.

"Who did?"

"One of Carpenter's men. The one I tried to warn you about."

Before his mind's eye, he saw Parker in the corridor, the CD in her hand, her eyes suddenly fixed on something behind him. He had spun around, trying to dodge the fast movement. Obviously, he hadn't been fast enough. His brows furrowed as he remembered Parker's scream, which was odd, because Parker never screamed. Except for that insane scream she made when she was jumping off buildings.

"Are you okay?" He asked her.

Parker cocked her head and grinned. "I'm fine. Hey, they didn't hit me in the head, you know. Question is, are you fine."

Eliot ran his fingers through his blood-matted hair. "Hell, yeah, I'm fine."

She nodded, relieved. "Good."

"What happened to the CD?"

"What do you think?"

He sighed. "We screwed up, didn't we?"

"You could say that. But mostly it was you who screwed up."

"Gee, thank you Parker. I'm feeling better already."

His head was starting to clear, although the angry throbbing behind his forehead didn't seem to fade one bit. Well enough. He was used to pain, he'd had worse before. Though this time, part of him thought he deserved it. Bad enough that he'd managed to get himself in this heap of trouble, he also had dragged Parker into it.

"So, what's the situation?"

Parker, who had been crouching beside him until now, stood up and walked across the small room, taking position beside the door. "Well, we're stuck in here for the time being."

"Nate?"

"No idea. They took our earpieces. We should get out of here though, before Carpenter decides to get rid of us."

"Where's this place?"

"Sublevel three. Two guards in front of the door, armed. Another two guards at the elevator. Next exit's down the corridor on the ground floor, about fifty yards from the elevator. Leads out into the parking lot. Then the electrical fence, of course." She looked at him, pondering. "Feeling up to take on the guards?"

"Guess so." He managed a smile. "I've got to make it up to you, don't I."

She grinned. "Good, then let's go."

Eliot grimaced as he dragged himself to his feet, using the wall for support. He noticed Parker's skeptical glance and bit back an angry comment. She was only worrying, he reminded himself, no reason to snap at her. The pain was making him edgy though.

"Need a hand?"

"I can manage, Parker."

That came out harsher then intended. Damn it, Eliot, pull yourself together. He could call himself lucky to be trapped in here with Parker. Of all people, she was most likely to leave him alone when the last thing he wanted was sympathy. He noticed that she was focussing on the door now, listening for any sound from outside. She gestured him to get going, and he made his way over to her.

Eliot would have cursed at the sudden wave of sickness if he could have spared the breath. He knew from experience how unpredictable head wounds could be, and this one seemed to have taken a sudden turn for the worse. His knees buckled as he fought for breath, and the next thing he knew was the cold sensation of concrete against his knees and palms, as he emptied the content of his stomach onto the floor.

He didn't know how long he was kneeling there, retching violently until bile was the only thing coming up, the agony of his cramping stomach and bruised ribs only outranked by the pain exploding inside his head. For endless moments that was all there was, and when the heaving finally subsided, his body was left shaking with helpless tremors. Vaguely he noticed that Parker was standing behind him, holding his long hair out of his face, her other hand resting on his good shoulder, making sure that he didn't topple over. Panting and totally spent, he closed his eyes.

"Finished?" She asked quietly.

Eliot merely groaned, giving a slight nod that almost caused his stomach to churn again.

"Okay. Lie back now, I've got you."

For Parker, that was surprisingly compassionate. He felt himself being eased towards the floor, a steady hand supporting his head.

"That's a hell of a concussion you've got there."

That was something he could agree with. Trouble was, no matter how much he wanted to, he wouldn't be much help with an injury like that. Which meant they were screwed. At least he was. It didn't mean that Parker had to stay here, waiting for Carpenter's goons to come back. She could get out of here before things got nasty, being a thief and all. A locked door wouldn't keep her.

He clung to that thought. Dazed, he looked up at her face that was swimming above him out of focus. "Get out of here. I'll manage without you."

That caused a raised eyebrow.

"I've thought about that," she countered, and he was sure that she actually had. "I think Nate would kill me though. You need a doctor."

"Don't need no doctor," he slurred, darkness clouding at the edges of his vision. "Damn it, Parker, get out of here while you still can. Get Nate and the team, come back for me later..."

His eyes started to close again as unconsciousness started to pull him under.

"Eliot, stay with me."

He tried to, he really did. But his strength was gone. Distantly, he could still hear her talking to him, until the frayed string that connected him to reality finally came undone and the world faded around him.

Parker looked down into Eliot's face, watching the pained expression in his lines dissipate as exhaustion got the better of him. So much for the invincible hitter. She just wished he would have chosen a less pressing situation to demonstrate that he was as human as the rest of them.

She didn't really like the idea of leaving him behind, but Parker realized the truth of what he had said. If she waited for him to get better, they'd be done for. It didn't take a doctor to tell that he wouldn't be able to walk anytime soon and she could impossibly carry him. Gently, she moved him to lie on his side in case he had to throw up again and placed her jacket under his head, then pushed herself to her feet.

Having done all she could, she walked over to the door and resumed to what she was best at. No more playing nurse for now. Swiftly, she pulled a pin out of her hair and knelt in front of the lock. With the ease of long practice, she slid the needle in, turning it just so, listening for the tell-tale click that meant that the door was open. There it was. Turning around, she cast a last glance on his still form, and for once, her brows furrowed in sympathy.

"Don't worry, Eliot. I'll be back."


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you all for your encouraging reviews and alerts. You're really making this worthwhile :)_

ooo

Parker took her time to pull the door open and peeked through the crack to assess the situation. When they had been escorted down here – she at gunpoint, Eliot being dragged behind – she had almost automatically tried to memorize the layout of the corridors and the positions of the security guards. She hadn't lied to Eliot when she had told him that there were two men guarding the room they were held in, she just didn't know if they were still there and if so, which direction their were facing. It was really unfortunate that Eliot wasn't able to take care of the guards, it would have made things a lot easier for them.

Parker pursed her lips when she caught sight of the black boot round the right-hand corner, just in front of the door. The shadow on the floor told her that there was another guard at the left side. A short grin flashed over her face. Now that wasn't very smart. Apparently, they expected someone to rush to their help instead of them breaking out, which gave her good chance of escaping. She just had to be fast. Having seen the floor plan in the briefing before the job, she already had a good idea where she could hide when they came after her. The labyrinthine layout of the corridors down here was a real advantage, and the air duct was big enough for her.

A diversion would still be a good idea, though. Which meant she needed something to throw, something that made a lot of noise. Silently, she reached into her pocket and retrieved a quarter. Not much but it would have to do. She was just about to try a good throw, when she heard voices down the corridor. Instantly, she froze, drawing back into the room and closed the door enough that she wouldn't attract any attention. Holding her breath, she listened to the conversation outside and could barely believe her luck as she heard one of the guards turn to walk down the corridor.

It was now or never. In one swift movement, she was out of the door and half down the corridor, when she heard the alarmed call behind her.

"Behind you! Go and get her!"

But she was fast and already around the corner, when the first shots rang out behind her. She was heading for the store room, which was the largest room at this level. Probably had lots of shelves and boxes in there, too, which would make it harder for them to find her. She skidded down another corridor and ran into a white-gowned woman, knocked her down and sent a tray of vials to the ground with her. She was well aware of the footsteps behind her and when she spotted an open door to her right, she entered and pulled the door behind her closed. Not exactly the store room, she thought, as she looked at the desk and computer, her heartbeat racing. But there was a cabinet at the wall and she pushed it in front of the door. Air duct, where's the air duct? Hectically, she looked around and smiled in relief as she discovered the grilled shaft above the desk.

When the guards entered the office, Parker was already gone.

ooo

"Nate, there's trouble. They've got Eliot."

Nathan Ford had been expecting to get a call like that after the connection had broken about fifteen minutes ago. Fifteen minutes, in which he had been torn between worry for his team and a desperate trust in their ability to improvise when a job went south. When he finally heard Parker's terse voice on the phone, he almost sighed in relief.

"Parker, what happened?"

"Listen, I don't have much time. I'm using the phone in one of the offices down here. They've taken our earpieces, connection's not safe anymore. Eliot's been hurt and I've lost the CD."

"Can you get it back?"

"Not likely. I've no idea where it is at the moment."

"Okay." Nate tried hard to project a calm into his words that he did not feel. No need to unsettle the others more than necessary. "We call it off. Don't worry about the CD, we'll find another way. How's Eliot?"

There was a loud, banging noise in the background and he could hear muffled voices at the other end of the line.

"Parker?"

He heard her curse, and when she spoke again, she sounded a little pressed. "Head injury. I've never seen him like this, must be really bad. He was unconscious when I left him."

"You left him?"

"Damn it, Nate. I had to contact you! Listen, we're at sublevel three. I'm in the office of a Dr. Remney."

Nate cast a questioning glance at Hardison, who immediately started to consult his computer. It only took a few seconds until he had the information he needed. "Got it. That's one of the offices in section A."

The older man nodded his appreciation.

"Alright, Parker. We know where that is."

"We don't have much time," Parker continued. "They've called Carpenter. When he gets here, things will get nasty for Eliot."

Nate remembered the forensic photos of the last person who had got in Carpenter's way. Parker didn't have to elaborate to make her point.

"Don't worry, we'll have him out of there before that happens."

"Right. So what's the plan?"

Nate briefly considered his options. The fact that they wouldn't be able to stay in contact with each other made things a little complicated. The earpieces weren't safe anymore and wouldn't work properly anyway as long as some of them were below ground. Which meant that his team members weren't as flexible as usual since they had to maintain their assigned positions. In his mind, he went through the backup plans he had made and finally came to a decision.

"Parker, you stay down there, get back to Eliot, keep an eye on the room from the outside. We'll be down there in half an hour, at the latest. See to it that..."

He was interrupted by another loud noise at the other end of the line.

"Got it," Parker said. "Listen, I got company. Gotta go now."

Then the line went dead. Slowly, Nate hung up and cast a long glance to Hardison and Sophie, who had been listening to the whole conversation in silence. He didn't have to ask to find out what they were thinking. Their emotions were written clearly on their faces. Hardison was the first one to speak.

"Alright man, what do you want me to do?"

Nate let go of a breath that he didn't recall holding.

"Okay, you heard Parker. There ain't much time. Sophie," he looked at her, making sure he had her attention. "I need you to stall Carpenter. You'll be his next appointment."

Impatiently, he looked at Hardison, who had already turned towards the screen. It didn't take long until the younger man had access to the internal computer network.

"Okay, Nate, I'm in."

Nate leaned over the hacker's shoulder to get a better view of the screen. "We need someone he wouldn't want to keep waiting. Maybe someone with authority, an official or something."

"IRS?" Hardison suggested.

Nate nodded thoughtfully. "That's a possibility."

"Okay, I'm on it."

Nate turned around when he felt Sophie's eyes upon him and noticed that she had crossed her arms.

"How are you planning to get him out of there?" Her melodic voice had dropped a register, and beneath the worry Nate could sense another emotion, which was uncomfortably close to accusation.

"I'm working on it."

"Well, you better come up with something quick."

Nate calmly held her gaze. "The sublevels contain the research facilities. That means high security, cameras and guards on every floor. Access is limited to security personnel and the people working there. We can't just walk in there and hope that we're not being noticed."

"Okay, Sophie. I've got this settled," Hardison interrupted. "You're Victoria Taylor, Internal Revenue Service. You're appointment is at 4 pm. The rest is up to you."

"That was fast, thank God." Sophie flipped through her false Ids and quickly found the one she was looking for. "So, what will you be doing in the meantime?"

"Not sure yet. I was thinking that maybe..." Nate's voice trailed off as he noticed the van that drove onto the company site, the corner of his mouth twitching at a sudden afflatus. "Hardison, can you find out why they called a plumber?"

"Sure I can." His fingers scurried over the keyboard, as he tried to get the requested information. The image on the screen changed and he scanned them quickly. "Seems like they're having problems with the water-pipes on the second floor."

"Water-pipes, huh?" That was something he could work with. Nate reached for his cell phone, as the plan was beginning to take shape inside his mind.

Hardison must have noticed the expression on the older man's face because he suddenly smiled, showing a line of very white teeth. "You thinking what I'm thinking, man?"

Nate returned the smile. "Let's get to work."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

_Okay, this one took a little longer than I first expected. I hope you're still with me. Thanks again for all your kind words and for your encouragement. Let me know what you think :-)_

ooo

Margery was on the phone when the workmen arrived. With relief, she noticed the company logo, a wrench and a faucet, which decorated the gray overalls, and the big toolboxes they were carrying. They were obviously the plumbers they had been waiting for. The blond secretary greeted them with a smile and raised her hand in a gesture indicating that her conversation on the phone would be finished any minute.

"Yes, Sir. I understand." She listened attentively to the voice at the end of the line and nodded despite the fact that the other man couldn't see her. "They've just arrived, actually. You called at just the right moment."

One of the workmen wanted to say something but she silenced him with a short movement of her hand.

"Of course. You're very welcome, Sir. Bye."

Margery hung up and turned towards them.

"Sorry I kept you waiting. You must be the plumbers."

"Yes, Ma'am," the older one said, politely tipping his hat. "Gateway Plumbing and Heating. You're having trouble with the water-pipes?"

"Yes, in fact, we do. We're glad that you're here," Margery reached for her notes. "At first, we've only had problems with the restrooms on the second floor, but I've just learned that there's also a water-pipe rupture at sublevel 3, which is really more important right now. I'll show you the way."

She got up and pulled her skirt a little down before walking around the counter. Wouldn't want anyone to see more than intended. Margery was almost out of the door when the telephone rang again. Annoyed, she rolled her eyes, then flashed another apologetic smile to the plumbers.

"This is like a madhouse, sometimes," she sighed. "Why don't you go ahead and I'll catch up later. The elevator is down the hall and then the second one left. There'll be a security guard to show you the way." She waved her hand in the rough direction and watched the workmen walk off.

A little stressed out, she let herself fall into the chair and looked at the number before she picked up the phone.

"Mr. Stratton, what can I do for you?"

The polite tone in her voice was a little forced. It was always a bit tiresome to talk to the head of security. He usually made her feel like she had done something wrong, and this time he was in an exceptionally bad mood. He wanted to be informed about every new face that had come in today, especially about anyone requiring access to the levels below ground. Margery tried not to take it personally.

"Well, I just sent the two plumbers down to sublevel three," she said.

Somehow he didn't take the new information so well.

"Why? Because of the water-pipe rupture...Of course, Dr. Remney told me about it himself."

She shook her head at the onslaught of insults that followed. Margery didn't see why she should have questioned the phone call. If she couldn't believe someone like Dr. Remney, then whom could she believe?

"Well, they're on their way to the elevator. I sent one of the guards along... Yes, of course. Thank you, sir."

Margery hung up and turned to the beautiful brunette, who had been waiting patiently in one of the visitor chairs all the while. Another appointment she'd forgotten to inform Mr. Carpenter about. Today really wasn't Margery's day.

"Sorry for the hectic," she told the lady, who had introduced herself as Mrs. Taylor. "Mr. Carpenter will probably be here any minute now. Can I get you something? A cup of coffee maybe?"

The brunette gracefully returned her smile.

"Yes, actually, a cup of coffee would be very nice."

ooo

John Stratton slammed the handset back into the cradle and turned to pay attention to the monitors again. He had expected that someone would require access to the levels below ground and try to get to the captives, but he hadn't expected it to happen so soon. He had no idea whom he was dealing with exactly, but he was starting to feel increasingly uncomfortable. Only minutes ago, his men had reported that one of the intruders – the blond woman – had gotten away. How she had accomplished to get past the security guards and the locked door was still a mystery to him. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that they probably had been very lucky to catch them in the first place.

He watched as his subordinate switched between the different cameras in the corridor, briefly considering the small ear buds that his men had confiscated. These people were extremely well equipped for common thieves. There had to be someone behind this with a lot of money. His own team used military earpieces that weren't by far as small and Stratton prided himself in using the best equipment that there was. There was definitely something big going on here.

"Sir."

His subordinate dragged him from his thoughts. Stratton followed his gaze to look at one of the monitors, which showed two men in gray overalls walking down the corridor. They stopped to talk to the guard beside the elevator.

"That's them," the younger man stated.

Stratton nodded, his hand trailing up to his earpiece. "Davis, stall them. I'll be there in a minute."

ooo

Parker lay on her stomach, gazing down the grilled opening of the ventilation shaft. It had been a real challenge to get rid of the guards again after she had called Nate, and her heart was still beating fast from running through the corridors. Better not to let them come so close next time. Carefully, she pushed back her sleeve to consult her watch. Nate had said that they'd be here in half an hour at the latest, which left her about twenty minutes to get back to her position. It didn't mean he wouldn't be here earlier, of course, but it still gave her a little time.

She made sure that there was nobody else in the corridor below and then kicked the grill away, smoothly sliding through the small opening and landing on the floor without a sound. A glance to her left and right confirmed her previous assessment. She was safe for the moment. If she remembered correctly, the elevator was just down the corridor and so was the room where she had been locked up with Eliot before. She just had to mind the security camera. Like a shadow, she flitted past the closed doors and pressed herself into a doorway when the camera turned her direction. She smiled. They'd have to come up with something better than this if they wanted to catch her.

She waited until the camera was facing the other way again and was just about to turn around the corner when she heard steps approaching from the branching corridor. Damn it. These guys never gave up, did they? Staying completely still, she closed her hand around the handle of the door she was leaning against, gently pushing it down. Finding it unlocked, she stepped backwards into the room and quietly closed the door behind her. Parker's eyes grew large when she realized where she had ended up in. This place was definitely full of surprises.

ooo

There was a loud argument in the hallway, voices echoing through the copious corridors, as the security guards took the plumbers away.

"Water-pipe rupture in sublevel three, huh?" Stratton's voice drowned out the other voices. "How stupid do you think I am?"

"I don't know what you're talking about", the workman protested. "Your secretary sent us down this way. Call our company if you want to."

Stratton's voice was sharp. "You know what, I'll do just that. Maybe they can explain how that gun got into your tool box."

"Like I told you, that's not my gun. Somebody must have put it there."

"You know, I'm getting sick of this already." He roughly shoved the man forward. "Move."

"But as I told you..." Their voices slowly died down as they walked down the corridor and finally turned around a corner.

Nate waited a moment, making sure that they were really gone before he moved again. A fleeting smile touched his lips as he recalled Hardison distracting the plumbers, so that Nate could slip the gun into their tool box. It was amazing what stories the computer tech could come up with when it was necessary. But then again, Hardison had had a lot of training when he had been younger. Walking from door to door, trying to spread the word certainly helped to develop your people skills.

Nate felt a little bad for the workmen, but the truth was that he hadn't really had much choice. They had to occupy the guards if they wanted to get Eliot and Parker out of here, and it probably wouldn't take long until the security guys found out that they had been conned. With quick fingers, Nate finished buttoning the white lab gown and locked his eyes with Hardison's. Together, they made their way towards the unguarded elevator.

The doors had just slid closed behind them, when Hardison moved to examine the control panel.

"Just as I thought," he told Nate without looking up. "No key, we just need the code."

"How long?"

"Probably a minute or two."

Hardison reached into his bag and retrieved a small screwdriver, then turned to loosen the casing of the control panel. It only took a few moments, but he noticed that Nate was waiting impatiently for him to finish his work. He could tell that the older man wanted to talk to Parker and Sophie, find out how things were going. He was probably also worrying about the situation in the corridors. Usually, they had someone outside, monitoring the job, a person who knew where the guards were and what they were doing. Being without that information made things difficult and a lot riskier.

Wordlessly, Hardison reached for a small computer, barely larger than a cellphone, and connected it to the electronics behind the casing. It took a moment for the machine to run through the possible combinations to get the access code. Hardison looked up.

"It's not your fault, you know that."

Nate didn't answer. Not that Hardison had expected him to. If the older man was feeling any guilt about this job going bad, he wouldn't talk about it. Not to Hardison anyway. But the computer tech felt that he should at least make the offer.

They waited in silence, and when the computer finally beeped, Hardison turned to the control panel again.

"That's it." He pushed the button that would carry them down to sublevel three. "Let's hope this works out."

"Don't worry," Nate answered, and there was something unsettling about the way he said it. "We'll get them out of here. I promise."

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

_Okay, here goes the fourth Chapter, and I'm happy to say that Eliot will be in it again :-) I'd like to thank everybody for your kind reviews, it's always great to hear what you think. Well, here it goes. Enjoy :-)_

ooo

Sophie could tell by the sound of the approaching footsteps in the corridor that Carpenter had arrived. They were the firm, confident strides of a man with power and he'd most certainly paid a small fortune for his shoes. When it came to footwear, nobody could beat the ears of Sophie Deveraux – she could tell an expensive pair of shoes from cheap ones a mile away. A smile flitted across her face as she finished the coffee with one last sip. Time to find out how this man dealt with an unexpected visitor.

With an elegant movement, she reached for her briefcase and rose from the leather chair to walk over to the man coming down hallway. Behind her, the secretary made a sound of protest and a moment later the hectic blonde squeezed her way past her.

"Mr. Carpenter?" Sophie watched how the small woman almost stumbled over her own feet. "Mr. Carpenter, I am so sorry. I forgot to remind you of your appointment today..."

The secretary stopped in mid-sentence when she noticed that Mr. Carpenter was already talking to the head of security. Smiling apologetically, she made a gesture towards Sophie.

"Mrs. Taylor from IRS."

A pair of piercing blue eyes turned toward them and the blond woman literally shrank under their glare.

"I am having an important conversation here, Miss Landon. I'd appreciate it if you could wait for a moment." Although there was nothing harsh in his voice, the secretary flinched as if she had been hit.

"Mrs. Taylor."

He politely nodded to Sophie, his eyes locking with hers, and for a short, unsettling moment Sophie thought that he knew, that he was seeing through her con with so much as a glance. It was impossible, of course. How could he know? But still, there was something uncanny about the way he looked at her, his face blank and unreadable. _Pull yourself together, Sophie. You're being ridiculous here._ She managed to acknowledge his greeting with a nod of her own and was almost glad when the secretary pulled her back into the room and closed the glass door behind them.

Disquieted, Sophie watched the two men talking in the corridor. It was a small relief that Carpenter seemed to have the same effect on his head of security, who was squirming uncomfortably in front of the older man. She guessed that Stratton was informing his boss about the current situation, and judging by the way the security man looked, it wasn't good news. Carpenter however didn't show any sign of anger or concern. That man either had an enormous amount of self-control or he didn't have any emotions at all.

Sophie retained her position by the door, keeping an eye on the men and pondered her last observation. The lack of emotion was certainly an explanation for her unease – she couldn't read him, and that was a rare thing to happen to her. It certainly didn't make her job any easier. She was just about to turn away to check on the secretary, when she noticed a small object being exchanged. It was only a quick movement but the short flicker of the reflecting surface was enough to catch her attention. Sophie pursed her lips as Carpenter slipped the CD into the pocket of his jacket. Well, well. Maybe there was a way to fix things after all.

ooo

The little light slowly wandered down the display and Nate exchanged a last glance with the younger man beside him. Things had gone well so far, he just hoped it would stay like this. If they were lucky, the security guards would be scattered across the lower floors chasing Parker. It was quite possible that the thief had even found a way to get rid of them for the moment, but Nate didn't want to count on it. When he had last spoken to her on the phone, she'd had her hands full already. The doors slid open with a hiss and Nate stepped into the brightly lit hallway. Time to roll.

Swinging his backpack over his shoulder, Hardison followed as Nate lead the way. Parker had told them that Eliot was being held in one of the rooms in the corridor close to the elevator, so they shouldn't have any problems finding him. He was worried about the security cameras, though. The things were all over the place and the computer tech hadn't had any time to hack them, which meant that the two of them would be clearly visible for everyone paying enough attention. The white gowns were only good at first glance and probably wouldn't stand close examination.

They had just turned around a corner when they were stopped by a uniformed man.

"Excuse me, Sir." The guard was all politeness. "I need to see your Ids, please."

Nate looked at the man with mild surprise and gestured Hardison to stop. His eyes fell on the second security guard, who was standing in front of a door further down the hallway. Interesting. That was either the room they were looking for or a big coincidence.

"My Id," he repeated calmly. "Of course, just a second."

Nate felt the suspicious glare of the uniformed man on him as he reached into is pocket, pretending to look for an Id that really wasn't there. Another detail they hadn't had the time to think about, and that could quite possibly turn out to be their undoing. If it hadn't been for the second guard down the corridor, Nate would have risked a fight, but as things were, he didn't dare to. No way they could effectively take down both guards as long as the other one was standing so far away.

He had just started searching his other pocket when he felt the barrel of a gun pressing against his side. Nate looked at the weapon first, then met the eyes of the guard.

"Let's stop playing games, shall we."

Nate smiled in defeat and slowly raised his hands, while the guard took a step back, his gun still trained on him.

"I'm afraid I have to ask you to come with me." He gestured Nate and Hardison to walk ahead.

Nate tried to ignore Hardison's accusing glance as he complied. This was an unfortunate turn of events, of course, but it was no reason to panic. Not as long as Parker was somewhere here in the building. He suspected that the thief was somewhere in the air duct above this corridor, watching and waiting for her chance. They just had to buy her some time.

"You've been expecting us?" Nate said casually.

The security guard smirked. "It was obvious that you would try to get your friends out of here. Mr. Carpenter will be very pleased to find that you've decided to pay us a visit."

Hardison had a fairly good idea what Nate was up to and strategically positioned himself beside the older man, joining the conversation.

"You really should think about a better security system though. A child could have cracked the one in the elevator."

"You're talking pretty much for a guy who's got a gun trained on him."

"How come there's just the two of you anyway? Isn't this supposed to be high security or something?" Hardison threw Nate a short glance.

"Yeah," Nate added. "It is kinda strange, isn't it. One would think there should be more guards about the place. I've heard they're even having trouble catching that blond woman."

The expression on the security guard's face confirmed Nate's suspicion. Parker was still somewhere around and she had been giving them a hard time so far. The trace of anger flickering across the other man's face was rather satisfying.

"We'll get her soon enough."

Nate looked at the smoke swirling at the end of the corridor and grinned.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that."

The guards followed his glance and one of them cursed under his breath, momentarily distracted by the unexpected sight. Things went pretty fast then, as Nate took the opportunity to strike, landing a solid blow in the guard's face. He noticed the fire alarm going off at the same time, the smoke in the corridor growing thicker by the the moment, and Hardison beside him kicking into action, too. He heard a grunt of pain close by, a shot echoing through the hallway, and Nate lashed out once more, ducking a flailing hand that missed his jaw by inches.

The sudden clicking of a gun being cocked caused him to freeze at once. It was a long moment, in which Nate stared down the barrel of a gun, watching his entire life pass by, and then watching with disbelief as the man's eyes suddenly rolled up in his head, his body going limb and sliding to the ground, revealing a furious blonde standing behind him. Nate raised his eyebrows.

"About time, Parker."

She gave him a short smile. "I needed a moment to place the smoke bombs."

Hardison looked at her incredulously. "Smoke bombs? Where the hell did you get smoke bombs?"

She shrugged, momentarily bending down to pick up the guard's weapon and releasing the cartridge, mimicking the action she had seen countless times with Eliot before.

"I stumbled into their gun room."

Nate raised an eyebrow, nodding towards the large object she had used to knock out the security man.

"Let me get this straight. You stumbled into their gun room and stole some smoke bombs?"

She nodded.

"But instead of stealing a gun you used a fire extinguisher to take out the guards."

Parker followed his glance and took in the sight of the unconscious form on the floor, apparently pleased with her achievement. She smiled in satisfaction.

"That was poetic justice."

ooo

Eliot was startled awake by the sudden touch of a hand on his shoulder, ready to fight if he had to, and sank back to the ground when he recognized the blurred face above him.

"Parker," he breathed.

"Good, you're awake."

She looked down at him with that scrutinizing stare she sometimes had, and for a moment Eliot wondered if he really looked that bad. Then he felt her hands upon him as she tried to pull him upright. "Come on, we need to go."

Eliot bit back a groan when the movement awakened the sleeping the pain in his head. He struggled to get his feet under him and tried to convince his body cooperate, but didn't have much success. Parker cursed.

"Hardison? I need your help here."

God, that hurt. He just wished she wouldn't talk that loud. There was also this other sound, shrill enough to make his head throb, an alarm of some kind. They hadn't set the building on fire to get him out of here, had they?

"What... oh, crap. You been sick, man?"

Eliot sensed a movement beside him and realized that the computer tech was squatting beside him. Hardison moved to grab his chin, gently turning his head to take a better look at him, eyes narrowing at the sight. "Damn it, Eliot. You look like shit."

Eliot growled, weakly slapping Hardison's hand away. There was no way he'd have people fuzzing over him like that. Not when he was still conscious. Hardison raised his hands in a gesture of apology.

"Alright man. None of my business."

"What's taking you so long?" That was Nate's voice.

"Coming!" Hardison's arm slipped behind his shoulders. "Sorry, man. This is gonna hurt."

Eliot felt himself being pulled into a sitting position and closed his eyes against the sudden onslaught of pain. He just hoped that he wouldn't be sick again.

"Parker, grab his arm."

Together they dragged him to his feet, and Eliot sagged against Hardison as everything around him faded into a hazy gray. Swaying, he tried to regain his balance, thankful for the steadying arm that wrapped around his waist. The alarm sounded far away now and the voices were drowned by the roaring in his ears. He was barely aware of the slender hand that reached for his other arm, pulling him close and preventing him from tumbling over.

"Just don't faint, okay?"

"I don't think he can hear you, Parker."

Was that Hardison speaking again? Eliot wasn't sure. Somehow everything was turning and spinning, the floor beneath his feet a moving surface that threatened to come towards him any moment. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to fight down the dizziness and get his head clear again. There were hands urging him forward, and in his dazed state of mind, Eliot decided to focus on the one thing that was important right now. He walked.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

_Okay, I thought this would be the final chapter but it seems that I need a little more time to wrap things up :-) Thanks to everybody for staying with me that long, and thanks for your reviews and story alerts. You're making me really happy :D_

ooo

Sophie had expected Carpenter's office to be something special and she was not disappointed. The room was quite impressive with its stylish furniture and large windows, which allowed a lot of light to fall in. The leather chairs looked expensive, as did the tasteful paintings on the walls. In all probability, the Picasso was even an original. The other two paintings were replicas. Too bad that she wasn't here for the art. Sophie would have loved to have a closer look at them.

Instead, she sat down in front of the big mahogany desk and opened her folder, pretending to study the records in there. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Carpenter sat down as well, watching her with what she interpreted as an expectant glance. He had been astonishingly calm so far but Sophie suspected that he was just putting on a facade. This wasn't the first time that she was impersonating an IRS agent, and she knew the emotional response that a federal tax audit commonly evoked in the proprietor of a company. Just the fact that Carpenter didn't flinch didn't mean he wasn't concerned.

"Well, Mrs. Taylor," he finally said, "How can I help you?"

Sophie closed the folder with a humorless smile and looked up, evenly meeting his glance.

"You seem surprised, Mr. Carpenter. You have been notified of the audit two weeks ago."

She looked at him attentively, taking in every change of his demeanor. Still no sign of stress or unease in his composure. Sophie had to grant him that he was good. She watched him lean back in his chair, folding his hands in his lap in a gesture of calm observance.

"It appears that my secretary has failed to inform me. May I ask how I managed to attract the attention of the IRS?"

That was not an unexpected question and Sophie settled on one of her standard answers.

"Well, I'm afraid that some of your deductions require further examination. Some of them appear to be rather large in comparison to your income and in some cases, you failed to provide adequate documentation. We also need to check the charitable contributions that you made."

Charity was a stab in the dark, of course, but it was only a small risk. Somehow creeps like Carpenter always made sure that their outward appearance was flawless.

"Right," Carpenter nodded. "You'll understand that I'm not really prepared for anything like this. If we could make another appointment you'll probably save a lot of time."

Sophie gave him a thin smile. "I'm afraid that won't be possible."

"I figured you would say that." He rose from his chair. "Well, Mrs. Taylor, in that case, I'll inform my accountant. He'll be down in a couple of minutes to answer all questions that you might have."

Sophie rose as well, realizing just a moment too late that he had just ended the conversation. Somehow she had expected this to last a little longer. Damn this unpredictable son of a bitch. She followed him as he proceeded to leave his office, her thoughts racing. He couldn't leave yet, Nate and the others needed more time.

"Mr. Carpenter, I believe you underestimate the importance of this matter. There are still some questions I need to ask you and I have to insist..."

She literally ran into him as he suddenly stopped and turned around. Having him standing so close was more than a little disturbing. He was a couple of inches taller than her and even though he wasn't directly threatening her, Sophie felt a little intimidated.

"Your questions will have to wait, Mrs. Taylor. We're having a security problem right now that requires my attention. I'll be at your disposal as soon as that matter is solved. In the meantime, my accountant will be happy to talk with you." He opened the door before Sophie could get another word in. "Would you like another cup of coffee?"

The placidity in his voice made her inexpressibly angry. Nobody walked out on Sophie Deveraux just like that. Not when she wasn't finished.

"Mr. Carpenter, as an IRS agent I demand..."

"Mrs. Taylor," he interrupted her. "I do realize that this is an important issue and I am terribly sorry that I can't sit through an interview at the moment. If you would be so kind to wait for a couple of minutes, you will have my full attention in no time."

"Margery?" He addressed his secretary. "Another cup of coffee for Mrs. Taylor. And tell Mr. Piper to come down, please. I'll be needing his assistance in this matter."

Sophie watched him leave, her reply left unspoken. What on earth had just happened? It wasn't common for her to be lost for words, but right now she didn't know what to say. She felt the secretary's eyes upon her as she tried to regain her composure. Instinctively, her hand trailed up to her ear, searching for the small button that activated the comm, just to realize that she didn't wear one. She suppressed a curse. Hopefully, the others were on their way out already.

ooo

Carpenter walked down the corridor in long strides, mentally preparing himself for the task at hand. That woman from IRS was certainly a problem, but right now he had more pressing matters to deal with. If Stratton had informed him correctly, the intruders had tried to steal highly confidential information that was worth an incredible amount of money and that proved his association with a range of criminal activities. This could easily break his neck. Maybe they were in some way connected to the last fool who had attempted to cross his plans. Whoever was behind this, he would make sure that the bastards would regret setting a foot on his property.

He had almost reached the elevator, when the alarm went off. Carpenter stopped dead, taking a moment to realize what was happening, then reached for his cell phone. If this was a fire alarm, it was bad news and it was probably connected to the intruders. He hit the speed dial and was talking to the head of security a moment later.

"Stratton."

The voice on the other end of the line sounded a little pressed. Not that he gave a damn.

"Situation report," he snapped.

Carpenter reached the elevator and pressed the button, noting with irritation that it didn't respond. Probably due to the fire alarm.

"Uh, Mr. Carpenter, Sir. We're having a fire breakout at sublevel three. You'd better leave the facilities."

"What about the thieves?"

Stratton cleared his throat. "Well, we're currently checking that, Sir, but I'm afraid I don't have good news. It appears that the plumbers I told you about - you know, the ones that required access to the sublevels, the ones with the gun in the tool box..."

"You're rambling, Stratton."

"I'm sorry, Sir. Well, it appears that they really are the plumbers that we called earlier."

Carpenter's eyes narrowed. He certainly wasn't an impatient person but the situation seemed to get a little out of hand and his subordinates obviously were more than incapable.

"What about the man you're holding at sublevel three?"

"We don't know, Sir."

"What do you mean, you don't know?"

"Uh... we've been trying to contact the security personnel that were keeping an eye on things but it seems we have lost communication."

Carpenter watched as the first staffers started to push into the corridor, making their way to the exits, and a little later the place was filled with hectic and noise. He had to stick his finger into his ear so he could understand what Stratton was saying.

"Let me get this straight. You're telling me that you had two of them locked down in a section that's high security and you let them walk away?"

"I'm terribly sorry, Sir..."

"We'll talk about this later. Guard the fire exits. See that you get them."

"Yes Sir. I'll try..."

Carpenter didn't wait until the other man had finished his sentence and simply disconnected the call. There was no point in continuing this conversation, probably there was no point in guarding the exits either. With the fire alarm and the whole staff crowding the corridors, their chances of catching the thieves were unimaginably poor. At least they hadn't been successful in stealing the information they had been looking for.

In an instinctive action, he slipped his hand inside the pocket of his jacket and for a moment his heart stopped beating. It was impossible. He clearly remembered Stratton handing him the CD he had confiscated from the thieves before, and he was sure that he had put it in his jacket. Frantically, he checked his other pockets, running his hands over suit, but it was gone. Then realization hit him like a freight train, as he remembered the brunette woman, the supposed IRS agent, stumbling against him in his office. She must have used the opportunity to pick his pocket and sneak the disc from him unnoticed. Damn it, he should have known that something was wrong with her. His heart racing, he headed back to his office as fast as he could, hoping that he would get there in time.

ooo

At the same time in a different part of the building, Nate climbed the last flight of stairs, following the other people up through the fire escape. Emergency exits were usually a bad way into a building, but when it came to an escape route, they often proved to be the safest way out. He silently thanked Parker for stealing the smoke bombs – that way, the fire scenario was way more believable. With the smoke filling the corridors, security would have a hard time figuring out what was going on, and by the time they caught wise, his team would be already gone. Nate doubted that they would have any difficulties leaving the place. Among the other white coats, they were almost invisible and even an injured man wasn't such an uncommon sight in a situation like this.

Nate stopped to turn around, watching his fellow team members coming up the stairs behind him. With concern, he realized that Eliot was panting heavily, the blood on his face standing out against the pallor of his skin. Judging by the unfocused gaze of his eyes, it wouldn't take long until he passed out. Parker seemed to be having a hard time keeping him upright, leaving it to Hardison to take most of his weight. The computer tech noticed Nate's glance, reading the unspoken question in his eyes.

"Keep on walking, man. We'll manage."

Nate gave a curt nod and complied. He knew he had to stay focused if he wanted to make sure they got out of here safely. There was not only Eliot he had to think about, there was also Sophie who was still somewhere in the building, trying to keep Carpenter occupied. Nate hoped that she was alright. He couldn't stand the thought of her getting hurt.

The moment he stepped into the open air, his eyes started scanning the premises. There was a general atmosphere of chaos and panic, which was a good thing to start with. People were pushing out of the various exits, crowding the parking lot in front of the building, and they were getting more by the minute. In the distance, he could hear the alarms of a fire truck and possibly the police. The first one he could handle, the second one could become a problem. They had just broken into the facilities after all, and Carpenter would hold them responsible for the supposed fire breakout.

Well, he'd just have to take care of things one at a time. First, he had to contact Sophie. Nate turned around, watching Parker and Hardison exit the door, the wounded hitter between them. So far, so good. He was just about to reach for his cell phone when a familiar black van stopped a few feet away, the passenger door being kicked open from inside. A relieved smile flashed over his face.

"Hurry up. We better leave before things get too hot."

He didn't need to be told twice. Nate opened the door to the back of the vehicle, speeding things up for the others, then climbed up into the front seat. The moment the back door was slammed shut, Sophie floored the gas pedal.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

_Alright, here it is – the final chapter, the h/c part. Somehow I needed more time for this one than I thought, sorry I kept you waiting :-) Have fun reading and thanks again for staying with me that long. I do appreciate it._

ooo

Eliot didn't know how long he had been drifting in that dark place. He felt like he was trapped at the bottom of a deep lake, awareness simmering far away on the other side of the moving surface above him, too far away to reach. It was that place where the voices came from that were talking to him every now and then, familiar voices that were gentle and reassuring, and somehow he knew that they needed him to answer. It was impossible though, no matter how much he wanted to. The water weighed on him like a load, slowed his movements and muted every sound he tried to make.

Then there were hands, and he felt himself being moved, was aware of being carefully tugged back to lean against something soft. When the movement jostled his head, the blackness exploded into white hot pain, and for a moment that was all there was. He could hear somebody cry out then, possibly himself, and a hand clamped down on his wrist, keeping him from flailing. When the bright light hit his eyes – the left one first, then the right – he thought he was going to be sick, but by some divine intervention he wasn't. Groaning, he turned his head, squeezing his eyes shut, and when the blackness rose again, he allowed it to take over, welcoming the oblivion that came with it.

When he awoke again, the pain was almost gone. Somehow it had retreated into a small place in the back of his mind, where it had decreased into a mere throbbing. It was enough to irritate him, but nowhere close to the agony he had felt before. A part of him wanted to go back to sleep immediately, following his body's demand for rest and quiet. His survival instincts told him different though. Eliot tried to resist the urge of drifting off again, driven by the need to make sure that he was safe, that he had made it. - Made it where? His brows furrowed. He couldn't remember.

Blinking his eyes open, he found himself staring at a wooden ceiling. He was lying on a bed, he realized, his head cradled by a bunch of pillows, a soft blanket drawn up to his shoulders. It was a relief that the room wasn't spinning like he had expected. The last thing he wanted was to be sick again. Odd enough, this was no place he knew and it certainly was no hospital either, as it lacked the unpleasant smell of disinfectants and floor wax. This room actually smelled nice, kind of homey. And there was the unmistakable scent of whiskey. Something clicked into place. Nate.

Slowly he turned his head and sure enough the older man was sitting beside him, eyes fixed on a book, a strong drink in his hand. The bedside lamp was turned low, so it wouldn't disturb him. He would have looked almost relaxed if it hadn't been for the shadows beneath his eyes that bespoke a sleepless night. When he noticed that Eliot had come to, he set the glass aside.

"Hey," he said quietly. "Glad to see you awake again."

Nate pushed himself up to move the chair a little closer to the bed, and Eliot could feel his eyes resting on him, taking in every detail. The concerned expression on his face bothered him as much as it irritated him. He resisted the urge to voice it, though.

"Hey..." His voice was hoarse and sounded as if he hadn't spoken in ages. Eliot swallowed with some difficulty before he continued. "Where's this place?"

"Safe house in Medford, a little off the road," Nate explained calmly, deliberately keeping his voice low. "We didn't want to drive across half the state with you being still unconscious. Seems you're lucky, though. No internal bleeding, just some bruises and a concussion." He paused, then corrected himself. "A nasty concussion, it seems."

Eliot huffed. "I half expected to wake up in a hospital."

Nate raised his eyebrows. "You almost did. But when the CT scan came up clean, we decided to move you to a place a little more comfortable - and a little safer."

Nate didn't have to elaborate on the last point. If someone was coming after them, it was likely that they'd check the hospitals first, knowing that one of them had been injured. Eliot watched as a shadow flitted across Nate's face and he didn't have any difficulties to figure out the thought that had just crossed the other man's mind. Hospitals were always hard on him.

"Appreciate it."

"I thought you would. Do you remember what happened?"

Eliot was about to nod but stopped himself right in time. No need to awaken the sleeping pain. He settled for a verbal response instead.

"One of Carpenter's goons hit me in the head." He reached up to examine the bandage on his head, flinching when he touched an especially sensitive spot. "With a fire extinguisher, as I am told. Seems like you got me out of there. I'm mighty grateful for that."

He allowed his eyes to close for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts. Somehow he was having trouble concentrating. There was something he needed to know about. Something important.

"The CD..."

He frowned, trying to word his question, but Nate interrupted him.

"Don't worry about that. We've got things taken care of."

Eliot looked up, confused. He distinctly recalled Parker telling him that the disc was lost.

"How...?"

Nate's smile was genuine now.

"Sophie stole it from Carpenter when she was in his office impersonating an IRS agent. It's a longer story."

"I can imagine." Eliot let the new information sink in. "So, we got him?"

"We do."

That was good. Actually, that was all he had been wanting to hear. Relieved, he shifted under the covers, trying to find a position which was a little easier on his sore muscles and he winced when the movement caused him pain. Suddenly he was uncomfortably aware of Nate's gaze resting on him.

"What?" he growled.

There was a short silence, and he had the impression that Nate was carefully wording his answer.

"There are some pain meds on the nightstand, if you want any. Nothing strong, just Tylenol. It might help though."

Eliot had to admit that it was a reasonable suggestion. The analgesic was mild enough not to cloud his mind and it would take the edge of the pain, allowing him to get some real sleep. He sighed his approval.

"Alright."

He struggled to sit up, wincing when agony flared up behind his eyes. The arm that caught him around his shoulders was welcome for once.

"Take it easy, okay?" Somehow Nate sounded awfully far away.

The room seesawed and Eliot briefly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he was looking at Nate's open palm holding two white pills in it. He reached for them with a shaking hand. Then a glass of water appeared in his vision.

"Thanks," he rasped.

The cool liquid felt nice against his parched throat, although it almost took him an eternity to finish it. When he did, his view was blurring and he squeezed his eyes shut, taking a deep breath.

"Eliot?"

He swallowed, fighting down the sudden wave of nausea. It didn't take long until Nate had figured out what was wrong.

"Come on, lie down."

His voice was nothing but gentle and Eliot felt the arm around him tighten, as the other man slowly urged him back down. It was bliss when he could feel the pillows beneath his head again and Eliot just lay still, grateful when he noticed that the sickness was slowly starting to ebb away. When he felt a hand on his arm, he turned his head to look at Nate's face swimming before him. He didn't like the look of worry on his face, but he had to admit that it was probably justified. He blinked and the blurriness retreated a bit.

"You alright?"

Eliot could feel himself drifting. "Yeah..."

"You sure? You look pale as a sheet."

He managed a wan smile. "I'll be fine."

Eliot frowned when the worried expression deepened on the other man's face.

"Listen, Nate. T'is not the first time I got a concussion. Probably won't be the last time either. I ain't gonna lie to you – I'm not feeling too great right now. And, hell yeah, my head hurts. But it'll pass. Just let me sleep it off and I'll be fine."

Nate held his gaze, pondering the response. Eliot could see his mind working and he could tell that he didn't entirely believe his words, probably didn't have any problems seeing through the understatement. However, Nate just gave a short nod.

"Alright," he resolved, "Get some sleep. We'll talk again tomorrow."

Eliot allowed his eyes to drift shut, but even with his eyes closed, he could still feel Nate's gaze weigh on him. It was annoying.

"You gonna keep on sitting there?"

"Actually... yeah, that's what I's planning to do."

Eliot hesitated, considering to argue about it, and then found he was too tired to do so. It wouldn't be much use anyway. The doctors at hospital had most likely advised the others to keep a close look on him for next couple of days. It wasn't like he didn't know the drill.

"Fine," he replied, defeated. "But you don't have to."

"Just get some rest," Nate said, lightly touching the other man's arm. The armchair squealed at the movement.

There was silence for a moment, and when Eliot heard the soft rustle of pages, he knew that Nate had resumed to reading his book. Suddenly, his body felt heavy with fatigue, the exertions taking their toll, and he tried to relax in spite of the throbbing behind his eyes. Maybe it was the painkillers taking effect, as he found that it didn't bother him as much as before. Sleep would come easy now.

Drowsily, he allowed his thoughts to wander and it occurred to him that Nate hadn't even asked him what exactly had gone wrong down there at the sublevels, how it had been possible that the hitter had gone down like that. Maybe Parker had already told him. It just didn't seem much like Nate not to ask for a second version. Beside him, he heard the soft clink of glass touching glass, followed by the sound of a liquid being poured. So Nate was drinking again. Eliot tried to think on the implication, sensing that it held the answer to his question, but it kept on slipping away, as sleep was already pulling him under. Very well then. He could still think about it tomorrow. Now it was time to rest, and he knew that he needed it.

- the end -

_Okay, that's it – my first leverage fic is finished. I hope you had as much fun as I did. Let me know if you liked it :)_


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